ARTIST BIO: KENNY ARONOFF

Kenny Aronoff is one of the world's most influential and in-demand drummers. The list of artists he's worked with reads like a who's who of the music industry, and includes John Mellencamp, The Smashing Pumpkins, Bob Seger, John Fogerty, Melissa Etheridge, Jon Bon Jovi, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Alanis Morissette, The Rolling Stones, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Puddle of Mudd, Avril Lavigne, Joe Cocker, B. B. King, Mick Jagger, Ray Charles, Alice Cooper, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Raitt, Ricky Martin, Santana, Trey Anastasio, Michelle Branch, Vince Gill, Gladys Knight, Aaron Neville, Trisha Yearwood, Patti LaBelle, George Jones, Conway Tritty, The Buddy Rich Big Band and many others. With a style of playing that combines power and finesse, Kenny was named the #1 Pop/Rock Drummer and the #1 Studio Drummer for five consecutive years by the readers of Modern Drummer Magazine, and in addition has played on over 30 Grammy-nominated recordings.

Growing up in Massachusetts, Kenny joined his first band at age ten. A self-taught drummer, he played in local bands throughout junior high and high school. At 16, he decided to focus on classical music and began to study seriously with members of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, including world-renowned tympanist Vic Firth. He went on to study at the University of Massachusetts and at Indiana University, where, among other honors, he was awarded the school's prestigious Performer's Certificate. During summer breaks he played in the symphony orchestras at the Aspen Music Festival (run by The Julliard School) and the Tanglewood Music Festival (run by the Boston Symphony Orchestra).

After graduating from IU in 1976, Kenny was offered timpani positions in several symphony orchestras, but instead decided to head to the east coast, where he studied drum set in Boston and New York. During this time he began to concentrate on jazz and fusion music, and in 1977 he returned to Indiana and spent several years in a popular local band, playing throughout the Midwest. In 1980 he joined the John Mellencamp band, recording 10 albums and touring with him over a 17-year period. Kenny's innovative style and solid backbeat became the driving force behind Mellencamp's long run of definitive hit records in the '80's and '90s, a list that includes American Fool, Scarecrow, Uh Huh, The Lonesome Jubilee, Whenever We Wanted, Dance Naked, Big Daddy, Human Wheels, Mr. Happy Go Lucky and others.

In the mid-80s, Kenny began to develop an enormously successful career as a studio musician. Today he's among the world's most in-demand session drummers, having played on hundreds of records. Recent recording projects include Rod Stewart, Avril Lavigne, Puddle of Mudd, Meat Loaf, John Fogerty, Tony Iommi, Melissa Etheridge, Jason Michael Carroll and many others.

Kenny has also performed live and toured worldwide with artists including The Smashing Pumpkins, Bob Seger, John Fogerty, Melissa Etheridge, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson, Michelle Branch and many others.

From 1993 to 1997, he was Associate Professor of Percussion at Indiana University. The Aronoff Percussion Scholarship is awarded annually to a percussion student enrolled at IU.

Whether it's recording, touring, drum clinics or his instructional DVDs and books, Kenny brings tremendous drive, enthusiasm and creativity to everything he does.

RECENT TRACKS

Gavin DeGraw - Cop Stop


Puddle of Mudd - Famous


John Fogerty - Long Dark Night

RECENT VIDEO

FUN FACTS

Full Name:Kenneth David Aronoff, but I prefer Kenny Aronoff

Birthday: MARCH 7

Height: 5' 8"

Equiptment: Kenneth David Aronoff, but I prefer Kenny Aronoff

Favorite record of all time: “Are You Experienced” - Jimi Hendrix

Movies: Apocalypse Now

Sports: All sports, but NFL football is my favorite. I have been to 11 Super Bowls

Food: Steak and vegetables

Drink: When I am really thirsty cold water or cold beer

Hobbies: Music and sports

Q+A with Kenny Aronoff

Q: What was your most embarrassing moment on stage?
Ka: When I started the wrong song off in front of 20,000 people. The band was looking at me like, what are you doing? And I was looking at them like, what’s your problem? Once I realized I was wrong I felt embarrassed... Oooops : ) ha ha.

Q: When did you know you were destined to be a drummer?
Ka: It’s more like when did I decide it was my life… At 18 years old when I was practicing drums and percussion 9 hours a day and playing 5 nights a week with a jazz trio.

Q: What is your proudest achievement?
Ka: To continue to have a long solid career as a drummer… Touring, recording and doing clinics.

Q: Tell us about your best show ever and your worst.
Ka: There are too many shows for me to pick out a best... And I can’t think of a worst...

Q: Tell us about your set-up.
Ka: My favorite bass drum these days is the 24” x 14” Bubinga TAMA kick.... I love my Kenny Aronoff track master signature snares. I like the 6.5” X 14” the best... but I use my 5” x 14” a lot also. I love 15” hihats. They really make the drum kit sound full. I use 2 sets sometimes. On my right side with a cable hat and then on my left side on a traditional hi-hat stand. I love a 21” ride cymbal and I use (3) 19” crashes live and I use 19” or 18” crashes in the studio. All my cymbals are Zildjian and I have used them my entire life. I use Remo Coated Ambassadors on top of my toms and snare drums for recording… sometimes I use the Coated Amabassador with a black dot on my snare... I use Clear Amabassadors heads for the bottom of my toms. Live, I use Emperor Coated for the top of my toms and a Coated Emperor for my snare drum... I always use the power stroke 3 clear for my kick drum live or in the studio... I use my signature Vic Firth drum sticks which are like a beefed up 5b. I am using my big Meinl Kenny Aronoff cow bell on my set right now.

Q: What inspires you?
Ka: I am inspired to be alive and do the best I can do knowing full well that I will never be as great as I want to be… I get off on trying to be as good as I can be... everyday.

Q: What do you look for in a drum sound?
Ka: It depends on the style of music, but I love clarity, attack, power, and a full sound with punchy round and full low frequencies with attack. Snare drum has to have crack, attack, highs and lows. Basically have it all... drums and cymbals need to be musical and sound great when played soft and loud... I love John Bonham's sound or anything close to that.

Q: How did you learn to play the drums?
Ka: I was self taught and started playing in bands when I was 10 years old. I then studied with Alan Dawson and Gary Chester for one year in 1977. But I also got a performance degree at Indiana University School of Music where I studied classical percussion for 5 years.

Q: What record are you most proud of and why?
Ka: Buddy Rich Tribute Record produced by Neil Peart... the recording I did called “Straight No Chaser”. It stands out to me because it is so different than what I usually do and I only had 4 attempts to record that tune.

Q: What's your favorite place to play?
Ka: Every place is my favorite place if the music I am playing is great and inspiring, and the musicians I am playing with are great people.

Q: What's the best and worst part of being a drummer?
Ka: It’s mostly all good. There is no worst.

Q: You can play any kit you want, why do you choose Tama?
Ka: I have always loved TAMA drums, the support I get for everything I do in my very involved drumming career, and my great relationships with the people I work with at TAMA...

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